Northbound

Thoughts, photos and anecdotes from my travels through Norway, Scotland and Finland.

Sunning

The pace here is slow, and that's how I like it. After a few overcast days we were treated to a gloriously clear blue sky which improved as the day wore on. I wandered on the beach and around the house just taking everything in. That seems to be my preferred way to kill time here.

Not wanting to waste the perfect summer's day I dragged my paint tubes out onto a sand bar and gave my first concerted attempt to paint en plein air. It was an interesting experiment, and I'm not entirely unhappy with the end result. I suppose I have to keep at it if I want it to come more naturally to me. It was lovely to feel the ocean breeze, hear the birds squawking and to smell the salt spray as I was painting them.

To make the most of the day as well, Sofie and Victor put on a little barbecue outside for dinner with hot dogs and halibut. We digested that afterwards with a trip to the sauna downstairs. Following the example set by S&V, we ran off a few at a time to plunge ourselves in the ocean, which was still a mind-numbing temperature despite the sunshine. It felt like some sort of rebirth to emerge out of the water - teeth chattering and extremities numb, only to follow it up with another defrosting in the sauna and another dash out into the waves. I slept SO well last night.